These are common findings in the brains of those with anxiety disorders, depression and other psychological disorders (1). Many auto-immune conditions have chronically elevated stress hormone production as a catalyst for this abnormal immune response (2).

HPA Axis and Its Role in Your Health:

The body processes stress through what is called the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis. This means that an area of the brain called the hypothalamus senses the environmental conditions and sends chemical signals to the pituitary gland which then sends chemical signals to the adrenal glands for the appropriate response to the environmental stressor.

When an individual is under chronic stress it alters this HPA axis and hampers the body’s ability to effectively adapt to stress. This is a condition called adrenal fatigue and adrenal exhaustion. When the body is under adrenal fatigue it cannot adapt effectively to its environment. This leads to a vicious cycle of chronic inflammation, tissue breakdown and accelerated aging (3).

Effects of Chronic Stress:

Adaptogenic Herbs and Your Stress Response:

One of the key components that adaptogenic herbs offer is their ability to lower and stabilize stress hormone levels. Elevated stress hormones such as cortisol can drain the precursors to major hormones such as testosterone, progesterone andestrogen. With less than adequate raw materials, the body becomes sex hormone deficient. This process rapidly accelerates the aging process and makes an individual’s life miserable.

Healthy individuals have stable cortisol levels that naturally spike in the morning and then level off and stay consistently low during the day before tapering at night. This allows us to wake up with energy in the morning and maintain that energy until nightfall when we should naturally be gearing down and getting ready for sleep. Stable cortisol levels result in improved mental clarity and memory. The individual feels as though they are less agitated and anxious and therefore able to perform better and have higher quality of life (4).

The body’s ability to effectively adapt to stress is the hallmark sign of successful health. There are certain performance aids that help our bodies modulate the stress response and adapt effectively. These substances are calledadaptogensfor their remarkable ability to enhance stress adaptation.

Key Adaptogenic Herbs & Nutrients:

Panax Ginseng:Ginseng has been given the Greek name,Panax, which means "all curing" as it has remarkable adaptogenic qualities that benefit individuals no matter what phase of life or stressors they are encountering.

Research has shown that ginseng has the ability to stabilize blood sugar by improving fatty acid metabolism.(5) This reduces stress on the adrenals and improves stamina, energy and physical performance. The compounds in ginseng also improve oxygenation throughout the body and improve the immune system.(6)

EleutheroIn the 1950s, Russian researchers investigated the properties of eleuthero and discovered that it had “adaptogenic” activity. An adaptogen refers to a substance that supports the body’s ability to adapt and promote healthy physiological functioning, most notably in relation to stress.

This balancing effect has been evaluated in numerous human clinical trials that demonstrate the ability of eleuthero to increase stamina, mental alertness, and the capability of the participants to handle stress (7, 8)

SchisandraSchisandra has been widely studied for its effect on helping the body adapt to psychological and physical stressors. It has been suggested that Schisandra affects the basal levels of nitric oxide and cortisol, which promote endurance and accuracy of movement, mental performance, and working capacity (9).

Schisandra is commonly used in combination with other adaptogens. In a double-blind placebo-controlled trial with rhodiola and eleuthero, improvement in attention as well as speed and accuracy on cognitive tasks was noted (10).

Rhodiola is known to help people calm their emotions and stimulate cognitive processes that improvememory and creative thinking. Several studies have shown that rhodiola improves associative thinking, speed of audiovisual perception and ability to perform complex calculations. Researchers also found that it significantly reduced stress-induced fatigue after just two weeks of regular usage. (12)

Vitamin B5 – Pantothenic Acid:The most studied role of pantothenic acid in health support is its incorporation into a molecule called Coenzyme A (CoA). This molecule is arguably on the short list of the most important chemicals needed to sustain life. CoA occupies a central place in energy metabolism, acting to allow carbohydrates, fats, and proteins to be burned as fuel sources.

B5 is also responsible for the production of sex and stress-related hormones includingtestosterone and serotonin.Studiesshow that B5 also promotes healthy skin with the ability to reduce signs of skin aging such as redness and skin spots (13).

Pantothenic acid allows the adrenal glands to generate more cortisone which is anti-inflammatory effect on the body. Without adequate B5 the body is much more susceptible to the formation of chronic inflammatory cascades when under stress. (14)

Vitamin B6: PyridoxineVitamin B6assists in the balancing of sodium and potassium as well as promoting red blood cell production.It is linked to cardiovascular health by decreasing the formation ofhomocysteine. B6 helps balance hormonal changes in women and aids the immune system. Lack of B6 may cause anemia, nerve damage, seizures, skin problems, and sores in the mouth (15).

It is required for the production of major neurotransmitters such as serotonin, dopamine, norepinephrine and epinephrine. This is why it is implicated in the treatment of depression and anxiety (16, 17). The active form that is most bioavailable of vitamin B6 is the P-5-P form that this supplement contains.

Vitamin CThe release of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) from the pituitary gland in tandem with the body’s physiological response to stress will deplete the relatively large amount of vitamin C typically stored in the adrenal cortex (18).

This vitamin is essential for the synthesis of epinephrine, the hormone secreted by the adrenal medulla in response to stress. Epinephrine, in turn, plays a role in the synthesis of aldosterone, the hormone that regulates blood pressure, volume, and pH.*

Licorice contains triterpenoid saponins that influence cortisol balance, and it is a staple herb for supporting adrenal insufficiency (20).

Benefits of Adapt-Strong:

Adapt-Strong supports normalizing the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis when under stress. This is my go to supplement to support the bodies ability to adapt effectively to stress, manage blood sugar and support stable energy levels.

This formula provides useful support for both hyper and hypofunction of the adrenals. Hyperfunction is when the adrenals are overproducing hormones, such as cortisol, and hypofunction is the opposite, when the adrenals are under producing.

I use this with my clients that are struggling with energy and adrenal fatigue. Adapt-Strong truly helps you get the strength to adapt to the stress of life.

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